32. LIES DIPPED IN WINE

KIERAN

The moment my eyes landed on him, I felt that familiar burn crawl up my spine—the kind that made my breath shorten and my fingers twitch at my side like they were desperate to wrap around something warm and pulsing. Lucian. Of all nights, he had to show up now, dressed like the devil in silk, gliding into the ballroom like he owned the damned place. I should’ve known better than to expect a peaceful evening, but still, I’d dared to hope. Foolish, really.

The music barely covered the way my guards tensed beside me, every one of them sensing the shift in the air like bloodhounds catching a scent. I didn’t need to look back at them to know their hands were already inching toward their blades, shoulders tight, feet angled just right in case they had to pounce. But I gave them a subtle wave—steady. Not yet.

Lucian smirked as he made his way across the polished marble, his rogues trailing behind like shadows stitched to his heels. Every one of them looked too relaxed, too sure of themselves, and that was exactly what made them dangerous. He stopped a few paces from me, lifting a glass of wine like we were old acquaintances reunited under the stars.

“Kieran,” he drawled, his voice laced with that maddening calmness, “What a surprise to see you here tonight. I thought you usually avoided these fancy events.”

I forced a smile, one that probably looked more like a grimace. “Diplomacy requires attendance,” I said coolly, my tone edged but not hostile. Not yet.

“Even when the company makes your skin crawl.”

He chuckled. “Come now, let’s not start with the dramatics. This is a celebration, isn’t it? Peace among packs. Unity. Brotherhood.” His eyes glinted, mocking every word he just said.

My jaw clenched hard enough I thought I might crack a tooth. “You and I both know you’re not here for peace, Lucian.”

“Oh? And what makes you say that?” He sipped from his glass with such deliberate arrogance it made my blood boil. “I come bearing no weapons, no threats. Just a desire to talk… perhaps even negotiate.”

I took a step closer, just enough so I could look him in the eye without blinking. “You came with a squad of rogues who haven’t exactly been quiet in the northern territories. You burned two villages last week. Or did your memory suddenly develop holes?”

He shrugged with a lazy kind of grace. “Collateral damage. Unfortunately, yes. But misunderstandings happen when borders are not clearly defined. We wouldn’t want any more… confusion.”

My fists curled at my sides, and I could already feel the heat crawling through my veins, threatening to explode. All I wanted to do was tear his throat out right there in front of everyone, watch that smirk drop from his face as he gasped for air. But instead, I held my ground. I didn’t flinch. I didn’t show my rage. I couldn’t—not yet. This wasn’t just about me. This was about keeping the upper hand.

“Let’s stop pretending,” I said, my voice low and sharp. “We both know you want chaos. You thrive on it. But tonight, you’ll play your part, you’ll sip your wine, you’ll dance with the women, and you’ll pretend like you're part of the civilized world. Just don’t forget for a second—I see through your mask. I always have.”

His grin didn’t fade, but something in his eyes flickered—a brief, dangerous glint. “That’s what I’ve always liked about you, Kieran. You’re honest. Brutally so. But honesty won’t win you this war… if it comes to that.”

“It already has,” I muttered under my breath, just enough for him to hear. He tilted his head, amused. Or maybe curious.

Then, he leaned in a little, close enough that only I could hear what came next. “You’re losing people, Kieran. One by one. Don’t think I haven’t noticed. And when the real war begins, let’s hope you’re not the last one standing. That would be a tragedy.”

My eyes flicked to his throat, the pulse just under his jaw so tempting, so vulnerable. But I swallowed the urge. I breathed deep.

“Careful,” I said coldly, “because you’re not the only one who notices things. And I will never forget.”

Lucian stepped back, raising his glass again like we’d just sealed a business deal. “Then let’s toast… to peace. However temporary it might be.”

And I raised mine too, the crystal trembling slightly in my grasp. “To peace,” I echoed, voice steady. But in my mind, I was already imagining the day I’d no longer have to hold back. The day his blood would stain the ground he walked so arrogantly on. The ball might continue tonight, the music might play and the crowd might dance—but the war? It had already started.

The moment Lucian turned his back and walked away, disappearing into the mass of twirling gowns and flashing gemstones, I didn’t take my eyes off him. He moved too smoothly, too calculated—like a man who’d spent his life learning how to blend in even when all eyes should’ve been on him. I leaned closer to Cassian, my most loyal guard, and murmured under my breath.

“Keep your eyes on him. And Vee. Especially Vee. I want to know what connects them. I don’t care if it’s a whisper or a glance. Bring me everything.”

Cassian nodded once, his posture sharp, face unreadable. He knew better than to ask questions when my tone had that edge.

Then I felt her presence before I heard her—Selene. She always smelled faintly of night-blooming jasmine and made too much noise with her heels on marble floors. “Kieran,” she said in that sing-song voice of hers that she reserved for when she was trying to be charming, “isn’t this ball incredible? I mean, look at the chandelier—it’s like stars fell from the sky just for us tonight!”

I didn’t even look at her as I replied. My eyes were still scanning the crowd, waiting to catch another glimpse of Lucian or Vee, or maybe even a thread of something that would confirm the unease growing in my gut. “It’s the calm before the storm,” I muttered. “Everything beautiful always is.”

Selene turned to face me fully, her gown sparkling in the soft glow of the chandeliers, her perfectly painted lips turning downward. “Storm? Kieran, don’t start this again. You’re always seeing enemies where there aren’t any. Tonight’s about peace. Celebration. People are laughing, dancing... even you managed to dress up. That says something.”

I finally looked at her then, meeting her wide green eyes that so often made people trust her instantly. “You think this is peace?” I said, voice low. “You’re not looking hard enough. Peace is a pretty lie dressed in silk and dipped in wine. This right here? It’s just the eye of the hurricane.”

She rolled her eyes so dramatically it was a miracle they didn’t fall out of her skull. “Not everyone is plotting the end of the world, Kieran. You sound like one of those paranoid old councilmen. You’re starting to lose grip.”

I didn’t flinch, not even when her words stung like salt in an open wound. “Lucian shouldn’t be here. Neither should Vee. But they are. And if you think that's a coincidence, then you’re a fool.”

Selene let out an exasperated sigh and threw her hands in the air. “Gods, why do you have to ruin everything with your suspicions? Can’t you let people enjoy one night without turning it into a battlefield in your head?” She shook her head, the jewels in her hair catching the light as she stepped back. “You know what? I came here thinking maybe you’d let your guard down for once. Maybe you’d just dance or laugh or even smile. But you’re right, Kieran. It is the calm before the storm. And the only one stirring clouds is you.”

And with that, she stomped off, the train of her gown dragging furiously behind her as she disappeared into the crowd the same way Lucian had.

I didn’t go after her. I couldn’t. Not when every part of me was burning with warning signs and alarms. No, I stayed rooted there, staring into the glittering abyss of the ball, knowing deep down that everything she just said? She’d understand the truth soon enough. Maybe too late.